Power demand surge management circuit

Abstract

A method of turning on a plurality of loads connected to a multi-channel power controller includes turning ON a first load, comparing a current-related value of the first load to a predefined threshold, and turning ON a second load after a selected one of a first time delay or a second time delay in response to the comparison.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of turning on a plurality of loads connected to a multi-channel power controller, comprising the steps of:
 (A) turning ON a first load;   (B) comparing a current-related value of the first load to a predefined threshold; and   (C) turning ON a second load after a selected one of a first time delay or a second time delay in response to the comparison.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current-related value is a power consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is a power threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current-related value is an energy consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is an energy threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first time delay is selected in response to the current-related value of step (A) not exceeding the predefined threshold and wherein the second time delay is selected in response to the current-related value of step (A) exceeding the predefined threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first time delay corresponds to the inherent delay associated with a command to turn ON the second load. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second time delay is greater than the first time delay. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps (B)-(C) are selectively repeated to turn ON a plurality of additional loads. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first load, the second load, and each of the plurality of additional loads are connected to a single power input. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if step (B) indicates a current-related value that exceeds the predefined threshold then step (C) includes the steps of:
 (D) waiting for a time period to elapse;   (E) repeating said step (B); and   (F) selectively repeating steps (D)-(E) until either said step (B) indicates that the current-related value is below the predefined threshold or said step (B) has been performed a predefined maximum quantity of times for the first load.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , including:
 (G) turning ON the second load in response to said step (B) indicating that the current-related value is below the predefined threshold.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , including:
 (G) leaving the second load in an OFF state in response to step (B) being performed the predefined maximum quantity of times for the first load.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second time delay corresponds to the sum of the time periods from said step (D). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , including the step of:
 receiving a command to turn ON at least one of the first load and the second load as a wireless control signal from a self-energizing switch.   
     
     
         14 . A power control circuit, comprising:
 a multi-channel power supply operable to selectively connect a plurality of loads to one of its channel outputs; and   a surge management circuit configured to stagger the turn ON times of the plurality of loads such that the controller turns ON a first load, and either turns ON a second load after a first time delay in response to a first condition, or turns ON the second load after a second time delay in response to a second condition.   
     
     
         15 . The circuit of  claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of loads includes a plurality of individual loads connected to a single channel output. 
     
     
         16 . The circuit of  claim 14 , wherein the surge management circuit also staggers the turn ON times of the plurality of loads beyond the first and second load. 
     
     
         17 . The circuit of  claim 14 , wherein the first condition corresponds to a current-related value of the first load being below a predefined threshold, and wherein the second condition corresponds to the current-related value of the first load exceeding the predefined threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The circuit of  claim 17 , wherein the current-related value is a power consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is a power threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The circuit of  claim 17 , wherein the current-related value is an energy consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is an energy threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The circuit of  claim 16 , wherein the first time delay corresponds to the inherent delay associated with a command to turn ON the second load. 
     
     
         21 . The circuit of  claim 16 , wherein the second time delay is greater than the first time delay. 
     
     
         22 . The circuit of  claim 16 , wherein if the second time delay corresponds to at least one time period of a timer, wherein the at least one time period is selectively repeated until either the current-related value of the first load is less than the predefined threshold or the at least one time period has been repeated a predefined maximum quantity of times for the first load. 
     
     
         23 . The circuit of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of loads is also a multi-channel controller operable to selectively connect a plurality of downstream loads to the power source. 
     
     
         24 . The circuit of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is responsive to wireless control signals from a self-energizing switch.